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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28841022">cherry pie and milkshakes</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/thestarsandmars/pseuds/thestarsandmars'>thestarsandmars</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Criminal Minds (US TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Birthday Presents, First Dates, First Kiss, Fluff, Idiots in Love, M/M, One Shot, Tooth-Rotting Fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 14:09:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,312</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28841022</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/thestarsandmars/pseuds/thestarsandmars</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Reid and Hotch spend Hotch's birthday together in a second rate diner, in honor of an old tradition.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aaron Hotchner/Spencer Reid</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>87</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>cherry pie and milkshakes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I only wrote this because I was procrastinating updating my multi chapter work. This is my first one shot, so sorry if it sucks!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>November 2nd. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Aaron Hotchner’s birthday. And he was spending it at the office, feeling as worn out as a well loved sweater. Normally, excluding the years in which he had been called in to work a case, Haley would take him, Jack, and Jessica out to an obscure diner on the outskirts of their subdivision for cherry pie and milkshakes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Haley was gone; she had been for months. So Aaron would be spending today alone, locked away in his office to review cold cases. A new tradition for him to look forward to each year. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighed, letting his head fall against the top of the office chair, mussing up his well groomed hair. Even all those years ago, in the company of his family, he had felt more alone than he did now. Actually… he kind of felt great. Free? Maybe. When describing his emotions, words always seemed to fail him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>All knew was that the metaphorical shackles around his ankles had been broken with the swoop of his pen across a divorce contract. And as much as it had hurt at first, the separation had been for the best, a point made painfully clear by his utter excitement at the prospect of going to his favorite diner by himself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Loneliness wasn’t ideal, but it would certainly do for now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stole a glance at his watch, but the numbers weren’t easily interpreted through the scratched glass, and his current state of mind certainly wasn’t doing him any favors. Elation at the mere thought of enjoying a nice warm slice of pie was causing his vision to blur at the corners. Did it really matter what time he left work anyways? He was the boss. He could leave any time he wanted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“God, what have I become?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know, sir,” a meek voice piped in. Caught off guard, Aaron lifted his head off the edge of the backrest, finding Reid sitting across from him, hands tucked patiently away in his lap. His eyes were wide, twinkling with anticipation, as if he might implode if Aaron didn’t respond right away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aaron loved feeling so needed, he basked in the feeling of somebody hanging onto his every word. “How long have you been in here?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Reid shifted in his seat, looking anywhere but at Hotch. “It, um, it doesn’t matter. I-” For a moment, it seemed as if he might go on, but instead, he sat there with his mouth hanging open and a bewildered look across his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You what, Reid?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He dug into his messenger bag erratically, hesitating for a moment before setting a small box wrapped in black tissue paper onto the tabletop. A hand tied bow lay at the center. Two perpendicular lines of ribbon held the box together, a neat display that someone had obviously spent a lot of time perfecting. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s your birthday,” Reid announced, motioning towards the gift. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aaron was taken aback. He thought the team had forgotten, although looking back, that had been ignorant. It was physically impossible for Reid to forget anything. “You didn’t have to do this, Spencer.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Reid smiled almost imperceptibly upon the use of his first name. “You don’t even know what it is yet.” He nudged the box toward Aaron with the heel of his palm, giggling softly. “Open it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It seemed like Reid was more excited for Hotch to know what he had gifted him than Hotch was to actually open it. Nimble hands pushed aside the ribbons, careful not to tear the hand crafted bow. He peeled away the wrapping paper, but before he could even process what was in the box, Reid was already speaking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s believed that the first wrist watch was made in 1868 by Countess Koscowicz of Hungary.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I take it you got me a new wrist watch then,” Hotch quipped. His guess was confirmed seconds later, as he pulled a silvery watch out of the package. It wasn’t exactly his style, a thin, dainty watch that would probably look better on Spencer’s wrist than his own. But none of that mattered. Because Reid had gone out and bought it just for him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s wonderful.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Reid smiled like a kid in a candy store. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really? I was worried you wouldn’t like it.” Insecurity was seeping out of his voice, and Hotch couldn’t help but cringe. Why was this considerate, attractive young man so damn uncertain of himself?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I like it a lot,” Hotch pulled his old watch off, then fastened the new accessory around his wrist, “I was in desperate need of a new watch.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Reid picked up the neglected watch off the table, running a finger over the chipping gold stain. “I could tell,” he looked up at Hotch with a teasing smirk. A heartbeat of silence hung in the air awkwardly. “I- I should go.” Reid jumped out of his seat, but his gangly legs didn’t work as fast as his mind, and he stumbled over the corner of Hotch’s desk. “I have some… paperwork to, uh, finish.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was already halfway out the door by the time Hotch had even processed what had happened. “Do you like pie?” </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Nice going, Hotch. Ask the most offbeat question possible and pray to God he responds well. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Y-yes, sir.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Reid backtracked into the room, staring at Hotch intently. “Why?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I-... Haley and I used to go to this diner near our old house on my birthday for cherry pie and milkshakes. Is that something you’d be interested in?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hotch knew that he shouldn’t be doing this. Asking subordinates out on “outings” that could easily be misconstrued as dates was definitely against several of the bureaus rules. Maybe misconstrued was the wrong word. Because he was undoubtedly asking Reid out on a date right now, although he wasn’t sure that Reid was getting the message. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really? Just… just the two of us?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ye-” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>()()()</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Much to Reid’s dismay, Archer’s Diner was a cramped twenty four hour restaurant with fluorescent lighting and sticky pleather booths lining the peeling walls. He hadn’t stopped talking about the number of bacteria that were probably crawling all over him since the minute they stepped foot into the diner. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m serious, Hotch. There’s something stuck onto the bottom of my shoe, and I’m pretty sure it just moved.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hotch wanted to laugh, but the distraught look on Reid’s face told him he was being dead serious. “If you hate it that much, I can drive you home.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait. No!” Reid exclaimed, “I love it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Reid tried to mask his disgust as he allowed the back of his head to make contact with a particularly tacky piece of upholstery. He was going to have to shampoo his hair at least twice when he got home. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, I probably should have warned you. I know you’re kind of a germaphobe.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you were as informed on the subject of bacteria as I am, you would be a germaphobe too. Trust me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Reid shoveled a scoop of cherry pie into his mouth, leaving a collection of crumbs scattered around the corner of his lips. Hotch lunged forward, jumping at any opportunity to touch Reid, even if the only contact made was through a napkin. He dabbed the cherry residue away, before pulling back. Reid leaned into his hand as he did so, whining embarrassingly at the loss of contact. But Hotch appreciated the noise, and he let it play through his mind over and over. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They stared at each other for a long while after that, both too scared that making a sudden movement might tear them out of this perfect moment. Hotch thought that he might be satisfied living here, in this greasy restaurant forever, so long as Reid was sitting across from him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hotch, are we on a date right now?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you ever going to kiss me?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.” </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hope you guys liked it&lt;3 comments and kudos are much appreciated :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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